Charlie Allen

Charlie Allen is an American country musician born in Bristol, TN, into a family steepedin Country music. Allens mother, Louise Bouton was a regular on WCYB RadiosFarm and Fun Time Show, she is a member of the Bristol Hall of Fame. His father,Charles D. Bouton was an artist manager.Singing and performing was the family business, and Allen learned from the best. Justas some mothers give their child a toy to play with, Allens mom gave him a broom, andtaught him to pretend that it was a microphone. Eventually, he would learn to play theguitar, piano, steel guitar, fiddle and drums. When most of his third grade friends weregetting on a school bus, Allen was getting on a tour bus.Allens Uncle, Jim Harless, was also in the music business in Ft. Worth, Texas. It wasthere, at age seven, that Allen began to hone his skills as a singer and performer withhis family at the legendary Panther Hall. The stage was his classroom, and histeachers were the pillars of Country music; Loretta Lynn, Hank Williams, Jr, WaylonJennings, Dottie West, Willie Nelson and Jerry Lee Lewis were just a few of the touringperformers whom Allen shared a stage with. It was during this time that Allen signed hisfirst recording contract with Decca Records.By age fifteen, Allen was fronting his own group, The Bouton Brothers where theyappeared on various television shows in the Bristol and Kingsport area, opening for theNitty Gritty Dirt Band, Charley Pride and others. Allen also hosted his own televisionshow, sponsored by Martha White.